Criminal Justice

Faculty and Staff

Dr. Gordier is a graduate of LSSU with a degree in Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement. She went on to graduate school in Texas where she earned a Masters degree in Criminology and Corrections and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. In her doctoral program she specialized in research methods and statistics.

Dr. Gordier’s current research is related to jury selection in capital murder trials which occurred between 1850 and 1900. Her other research areas include inmate gangs, violence in prison and student success in non-traditional fields.

Mr. Herb Henderson is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. He holds a Masters in Public Administration and Criminal Justice from Northern Michigan University, with a graduate certificate in homeland security. He is working toward his Ph.D.

Professor Henderson is regional anti-terrorism trainer for Northern Michigan. He teaches homeland security, criminalities, internship, police operations, and investigations.
He serves as the Director of both the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) and the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) for LSSU. He is the recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Teaching Award at LSSU and the 2012 Academic Advisor Award.

Mr. Henderson is an active service police officer with over 20 years of law enforcement experience including service as shift commander with SSMPD. He has earned a Distinguished Service Award and numerous other citations. He has served as Union President for patrol officers and command staff and is the current chair of the police and fire pension board.

Dr. Frank Tridico is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. He holds a Ph.D. from Wayne State University. He has also taught at Western Michigan University and Wayne State University.

Over the past 17 years, he has taught 130 courses including Social Theory; Methods of Data Collection; Statistics; Senior Research; Criminology; Crime and Deviance; Prison, Probation and Parole; Policing; Comparative and International CJ Systems; Constitutional Law; Criminal Justice Process; and Substantive Criminal Law.

Dr. Tridico helped design one of the earliest university courses on Hate Crimes in the United States, amalgamating field research with hate crime legislation, criminal cases and statistical analysis. He is author of several academic books. His latest books on hate crimes and constitutional law will be published in 2015.

He has served as informal counsel to attorneys, law enforcement and journalists with information pertaining to hate crimes, far right groups and legal issues. He has also served as principal expert witness to provide third party analysis specific to crime scene investigation and police jurisdictional authority.

Dr. Aaron Westrick is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. He holds a Ph.D. from Wayne State University. Has been at LSSU for 10 years teaching courses in loss control, crisis intervention, ethical issues, police process, MCOLES classes and recreation studies (self-defense).

Dr. Westrick is an active Deputy Sheriff for Charleviox County. He is the recipient of awards for valor, having been wounded in exchange of gunfire with a felon.

He has authored a book on Use of Force Investigation and has future publications on forensic science and criminology, and crime scene investigation.

He has participated in and/or written in grants in excess of $1 million. Dr. Westrick is a recognized court expert in a number of areas within use of force investigation, law enforcement policy, and ballistics/armor research. He is the principal of Ballistic Armor Research Group, LLC. Dr. Westrick has participated in numerous defense contracts regarding the research and development of armor systems.

CJ professor Herb Henderson receives Distinguished Teaching Award

Herb Henderson, a professor who has dedicated his life to law enforcement first as a police officer and now as a member of Lake Superior State University's criminal justice faculty, has received the LSSU Distinguished Teaching Award. Continue Reading...

Two alumni, now police officers, receive commendations for bravery

Sault Ste. Marie Police Sgt. Supervisor Herb Henderson and Officer Phil Donnay recently received commendations from the police department for bravery in the line of duty after the two were involved in a dangerous situation in the city earlier this year. The two convinced a person who was threatening to attempt suicide to drop the handgun with which he was armed. Continue Reading...

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Lake Superior State University is a personal, small-town school that provides a superior blend of liberal and technical studies in the natural setting on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. LSSU offers undergraduate degrees in 45 areas of study that attract students from every county in Michigan, more than a dozen states and provinces, and nine nations. LSSU is Michigan's most personal public university emphasizing an undergraduate experience provided by a fully-qualified faculty and a dedicated staff. Read More...